Angelonia plant named ‘Adebic’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Angelonia  plant named ‘Adebic’, characterized by its upright and compact plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; large violet and white bi-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Angelonia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Adebic’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAngelonia, botanically known as Angelonia hybrida and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Adebic’.

The new Angelonia is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new compact and freely-flowering Angeloniacultivars.

The new Angelonia originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor during the summer of 2003 in Dresden, Germany of two unnamedproprietary selections of Angelonia hybrida, not patented. The newAngelonia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled environment in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Angelonia by cuttings in a controlledenvironment in Dresden, Germany since December, 2004, has shown that theunique features of this new Angelonia are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Adebic has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Adebic’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Adebic’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofAngelonia:

-   -   1. Upright and compact plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large violet and white bi-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Angelonia differ from plants of the parent selectionsprimarily in flower color and plant size.

Plants of the new Angelonia can be compared to plants of the cultivarAnwedg, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/731,872.Plants of the new Angelonia and the cultivar Anwedg differ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Angelonia are more compact than plants of        the cultivar Anwedg.    -   2. Plants of the new Angelonia have shorter internodes than        plants of the cultivar Anwedg.    -   3. Plants of the new Angelonia are more freely flowering and        have denser inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Anwedg.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Angelonia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Angelonia. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Adebic’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and followi ng observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Dresden, Germany in containers andunder commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with daytemperatures averaging 20° C., night temperatures averaging 16° C. andlight levels ranging from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were pinchedtwice, two and five weeks after planting. Plants had been growing forabout five months when the photograph and description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Angelonia hybrida cultivar Adebic.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Angelonia hybrida, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Angelonia hybrida, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 20 days at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at            20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/habit.—Herbaceous perennial. Upright and compact            plant habit; broad inverted triangle. Freely branching            habit; when pinched, lateral branches form at the nodes.            Vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 45 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 35 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 30 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Internode length: About 2.5 cm. Strength: Moderately strong            to strong. Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: 144B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, decussate; simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 4 cm to 9 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.5 cm to 2 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate to oblong.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            137A; venation, 137A. Developing and fully expanded leaves,            lower surface: 137B; midvein, 145C; lateral veins, close to            137B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single flowers arranged in terminal            racemes; flowers face mostly outward. Freely flowering            habit; dense inflorescences.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering from            mid-May until frost in Central Europe. Flowers not            persistent.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about 20 days on the            plant.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Shape: Globular. Color: 138A.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 20 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 8 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3 cm by 3 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 1 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl; petals fused at the base. Length: About 1 cm. Width:            About 1.5 cm. Shape: Roughly spatulate. Apex: Rounded.            Margin: Entire; undulate. Texture, upper and lower surface            s: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening and fully            opened, upper surface: Upper two petals, 87A; lateral            petals, 87A, becoming closer to 155D with development; lower            petal, close to 155D; throat, close to 4A. When opening and            fully opened, lower surface: Upper two petals, 87B; lateral            petals, 87B, becoming closer to 155D with development; lower            petal, close to 155D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: 139B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 cm to 3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Angle: About 90° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong;            flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            four. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to            155D. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther length: About 2 mm.            Anther color: Brown to grey. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen            color: Close to 155D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.            Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Tapering. Stigma            color: Close to 155D. Style length: About 4 mm. Style color:            Close to 155D. Ovary color: Close to 144A.        -   Fruits.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Color:            177B.        -   Seeds.—Quantity per flower: About 30 to 50. Length: Less            than 1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Color: Light brown.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Angelonia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Angelonia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Angelonia have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to 35° C.

1. A new and distinct Angelonia plant named ‘Adebic’ as illustrated anddescribed.